Speech is undoubtedly humanity's primary source of communication, allowing us to experience and share life with others through our words. However, we see a different life path in Janie, the protagonist of the book Their Eyes Were Watching God. Janie's character evolves using her control of silence to her advantage, helping her find what she has always struggled to have: individuality and independence . The relationships Janie has with her three husbands revolve around three versions of silence, as she searches for what she calls her “pear tree,” her true love. Logan silences Janie and becomes an oppressor; Joe takes advantage of Janie's silence and uses it as a manipulator; and Janie's one true love, Tea Cake, allows Janie to control silence, which becomes her liberator. In the book Their Eyes Were Watching God, silence manifests itself as an evolving source of power and identity for Janie, as her character is shaped not only by her words but, more importantly, by her silence. In Janie's journey to find herself, she initially has limited control over her life, being forced into marriage by her nanny. The nanny wants what she thinks is best for Janie, wanting her to have safety and protection. This marriage provides the perfect solution in Tata's eyes; The nanny promises Janie that everything will be fine with her marriage even though it may not seem that way at the time. Janie reluctantly agrees, but soon realizes that Logan doesn't have her best interest at heart, causing her to quickly tire of him. Soon after the nanny's death, the reader sees Logan change completely. He commands Janie by ordering her to walk around, expecting her to do whatever he asks of her. Since Janie is a child, she is somehow incapable of defending herself... middle of paper... the love the reader sees in Tea Cake is her saving Janie from the dog's attack. This unravels the mystery, revealing that Tea Cake truly loves Janie; he is the flower of his pear tree on his pear tree. Hurston successfully uses words and silence to create a captivating story about a young woman who grows up to find her individuality and, ultimately, her pear blossom. Logan, Joe, and Tea Cake all play an integral role in Janie becoming the strong, independent woman she is, ultimately allowing her to break the chain of abuse she suffered from her mother and grandmother. Silence is the barrier she endures in Janie's life; Through suffering, Janie emerges to honor the struggles of her life, transforming into a beautiful, mature, and strong woman. Janie is rewarded with the peace and happiness that her life now offers her, with the pear tree that will forever be hers to embrace.